Hub and drum assembly including recessed shipping nut

Abstract

A hub and drum assembly includes a recess around one or more stud holes in the drum and a shipping nut threaded onto a stud and contained in the recess. The recessed shipping nut securely fastens the hub to the drum during shipping. At a destination facility, the shipping nut does not have to be removed before wheels are installed on the huh and drum assembly. A method of assembling a portion of a drive train including a hub and drum assembly with a recessed shipping nut is also provided.

1. An apparatus comprising:
 a hub; 
 a drum in contact with the hub; 
 a stud on the hub, the stud extending through a stud hole in the drum; 
 a recess disposed in the drum and around the stud hole, the recess having a sidewall and a bottom surface; and 
 a shipping nut threaded on the stud and contained within the recess, wherein the shipping nut is spaced apart from the sidewall of the recess, 
 wherein a depth of the recess is larger than a thickness of the shipping nut. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least two recesses are disposed in the drum, 
 wherein at least two studs are on the hub, each stud extending through a stud hole in the drum, and 
 wherein a shipping nut is disposed on at least two studs. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 one or more wheels; 
 a flange nut disposed on each stud, thereby securing the one or more wheels to the hub and the drum. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 one or more wheels; 
 an inner cap nut and an outer cap nut disposed on each stud, thereby securing the one or more wheels to the hub and the drum. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two recesses consist of two recesses, the at least two studs consist of ten studs, and a shipping nut is disposed on only two studs. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping nut comprises steel and the shipping nut has a black phosphate and oil finish. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the recess is sized to allow a socket to engage the shipping nut within the recess. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a depth of the recess is about 5.5 millimeters and a thickness of the shipping nut is about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping nut is a flat hex nut. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 installing a plurality of studs in a hub; 
 mounting a drum having a plurality of stud holes onto the hub and a recess around one or more of the stud holes by inserting the each of the plurality of studs into corresponding ones of the plurality of stud holes, wherein the recess includes a sidewall and a bottom surface; and 
 threading a shipping nut onto one of the plurality of studs such that the hub and the drum are held securely together, wherein the shipping nut is contained within the recess, wherein the shipping nut is spaced apart from the sidewall of the recess and wherein a depth of the recess is larger than a thickness of the shipping nut. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the drum comprises at least two recesses, the method further comprising threading a shipping nut onto at least two of the studs. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two recesses consist of two recesses and wherein threading a shipping nut comprises threading a shipping nut onto each stud corresponding to the two recesses. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 installing one or more wheels on the drum; 
 threading a plurality of flange nuts onto the plurality of studs, thereby securing the wheels to the hub and the drum. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 installing an inner dual wheel on the drum; 
 threading a plurality of inner cap nuts onto the plurality of studs, thereby securing the inner dual wheel to the drum and the hub; 
 installing an outer dual wheel on the inner dual wheel; and 
 threading a plurality of outer cap nuts onto the inner cap nuts, thereby securing the outer dual wheel to the inner dual wheel. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the recess is formed to allow a socket onto the shipping nut.